President Yoon Suk Yeol said Thursday South Korea will not sit idle against North Korea’s “despicable” provocations and vowed to protect people through robust military readiness and a strong alliance with the United States.

Yoon made the remark during a Memorial Day speech at Seoul National Cemetery amid high tensions after South Korea fully suspended a 2018 inter-Korean tension reduction pact in response to the North’s sending of balloons filled with trash across the border last week.

“Following artillery firings in the Yellow Sea and missile launches, (North Korea) has conducted despicable acts that any normal country would be ashamed of,” Yoon said. “The government will never sit idly against North Korea’s threat.”

To deter the North Korean threats, Yoon vowed to bolster the alliance with the U.S. and enhance cooperation with the international community.

“We will maintain ironclad military readiness and respond to provocations firmly and overwhelmingly,” Yoon said. “Based on the further strengthened al
liance with the United States and cooperation with the international community, we will firmly defend the freedom and safety of our people.”

Source: Yonhap News Agency